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In this video, we react to what some are calling Britain’s most dangerous roundabout—a Dutch-inspired design in Cambridge. This roundabout looks like nothing we’ve ever seen, with bike lanes circling around and a unique setup for cars, cyclists, and pedestrians alike. The design is beautiful in theory, giving cyclists and pedestrians priority, but it’s different from most UK roundabouts.
We can totally see how this setup might throw drivers for a loop if they’re used to more traditional roundabouts in the UK. With narrow lanes, multiple crossings, and the need to yield to bikes and walkers, it’s easy to imagine some really close calls!
Thanks for watching! If you enjoyed this reaction to potentially the most dangerous roundabout in Britain, please give the video a thumbs up, share your thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe as we continue exploring all things British & Irish.
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28 Comments
I live very near Cambridge and I drive there often this isn't the first Dutch roundabout in the city. This is a more difficult one than the first. The first was near the hospital. I have no issues driving it and to be honest it seems to be working OK now. If you know and learn the new rule it gets a bit easier
There is definitely two I used both about 2 hours ago today 😂
Driven through it a couple of times. Can't see what the problem is if taken one step at a time? Cambridge and Cambridgeshire is very cyclist friendly. I live just outside of Cambridge along a "Guided Bus" route which has a wide Cycle/pedestrian path running along side of the track. Plenty of cycle paths generally next to most roads inside and outside of Cambridge. The wife gave up her car, a year or so ago and bought an electrically assisted Bicycle instead.
Used to drive regularly around the multiple roundabout at Hemel Hempstead too when I lived down that way in the seventies.
Apparently the collision figures do not support the Dangerous claim. Part of the success of the 'Netherlands design' is that it makes drivers feel uncertain, and therefore more likely to pay attention to their driving.
The yellow lamps indicate a zebra crossing where pedestrians have the right of way. Others call them Belisha beacons but most us call it a zebra crossing
My home town of Barnsley has plans to replace the Townend roundabout with a Dutch one. I can see plenty of accidents headlining in the future, especially as it leads onto a very busy bypass
Hi guys, I’m from Cambridge and live near by this roundabout. It’s been a nightmare! It’s even made it on the national news before. There has been so many accidents over the last few years it’s ridiculous. But lucky enough it’s been built right next Addenbrookes hospital so not far for anyone to go if there’s an accident. Cambridge city council have just opened another one like this the other side of the city about 2 months ago. It’s even worse and has featured on news channels. The problem in Cambridge is not the drivers, it’s the cyclists! They think they own the roads and can do as they please regardless of the consequences. Anyways keep up the good work! Love watching your videos. As a gay man I hope I can say this, Lyndsey you’re a beautiful woman inside and out and a wonderful mum. Hugs from the uk.
Where I live we have two tiny roundabouts together
You need to look into what we have to do to pass our HGV tests, theory, hazard perception, cpc Mod 2&3 and 2 practical tests (driving & manoeuvres)
Entering the roundabout is not really the problem because you automaticly look right (in the UK) and can see cyclist coming. Leaving the roundabout is another story because the cyclist is comimg from behind and as a driver they are not in your field of vision. I think it would be safer for the cyclist,
if cars exiting the roundabout have right of way. The cyclist only has to watch for a car exiting but the car driver has to watch out for other cars on the roundabout.
Lindsays accident sounds exactly like my mothers some years ago. Her and my father were crossing and a delivery lorry was parked just before the crossing. An elderly gentleman came roundthe lorry and was suddenly blinded by the sun and didnt see my mother. She fractured her leg. The drivers insurance company were not accepting full liability at first but my parents stood their ground and eventually they caved in.
The rules of the roundabout is no different from every other roundabout in the UK. along with the rules is common sense. The problem you have is when users don't follow the rules, like cyclists going the WRONG WAY around the roundabout and not treating it as a roundabout, if we did that in the car, it would be chaos.
Take your time, and everything will be fine.
Stopping for cyclists AND pedestrians?? I can see why people in the UK wouldn’t like it 😂. I’m glad it’s in Cambridge and not near me 😅
I go through 13 roundabouts to work and 13 on the way back from work every day
these are the most stupid roundabouts cyclists tend to drive on the road then swerve onto the bike lane to undertake uou
There are a few more of these in England now, there is a cyclops junction in our town, everyone hates it, there’s more congestion and cyclists do not go around the correct way, people cross wherever they want to. There have been accidents in the first year of it opening, crashes, blind spots and a woman got knocked down. It had to close within a few months for improvement as lorries found it difficult to turn into the next road, it’s a disaster, the roundabout it replaced was much more efficient.
Is there any warnings about this roundabout for people from out of town who don't know about it?
Thinking about it, probably the craziest, most annoying roundabout (car park) we have us probably the M25 London orbital motorway 😂 something you may find interesting to check out 😊
Sometimes people on bikes need to take responsibility ie obey give way signs ie give way to oncoming traffic but no they think they can do what they want i had right of way yet a guy on a bike thought he had and kicked my window.
If you know yge standard roundabout rules and the Zebra crossing/Parallel crossing rules in the Highway Code it is perfectly normal.
We have had Zebra crossings on the entry/exit of roundabouts in the UK for ever. Not all have them if course but it shouldn't be a shock to anyone to see a crossing in that location. We have Zebra crossings at roundabouts in my town where cyclists have been using the crossings and motorists have been giving way to them (even though not obligated to do so). We also have a roundabout with Parallel crossings and it's fine.
The rules for Parallel crossings mean that the cyclist and pedestrian only have precedence on their respective part of the crossing. Cars must give way at the dashed line before the crossing. You shouldn't stop on the crossing.
The rules for Parallel crossings mean that the cyclist and pedestrian only have precedence on their respective part of the crossing. Cars must give way at the dashed line before the crossing. You shouldn't stop on the crossing.
It would greatly surprise me if there cameras at the roundabout. The principle of 'give way' is more nuanced than jumping red lights or speeding
You should watch some traffic in the Netherlands if this scares you…many many more cyclists there!
i live 3 miles from this madness i have witnesed the results of 3 accidents in 4 years on this new safe roundabout 2 bikes runing down pedestrions 1 car on car in the previous 22 years in the same house 1 in total cambridge council count this as a success as apprantly less biks are hit by cars all part of cambs council war on driving
Those yellow round light's are zebra crossings for pedestrians. Vehicles have to stop not just here at this roundabout but anywhere you see a zebra crossing.
Stupid roundabout can't see it taking off and put in other places crazy.
Cambridge has always been a difficult city to drive safely, largely because you have so many cyclists and there are a lot of them who don't care to follow the rules of the road. When I was living there I would often see them running red lights or cycling against the flow of traffic in a lane.